A former member of the Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District’s Board of Directors is seeking to return to the board in the April 4 election. George “Bob” Engelbach of the Hillsboro area, a former state representative and Jefferson County councilman, is seeking to return to the ambulance board. He was a member from 1994 to 2008.
Another familiar name, Ron Weeks, who recently retired after serving 32 years as the police chief of Pevely, also is seeking one of the two seats.
The third candidate in the race, Susan Vaugh of Festus, also is a known quantity, as she is running for her fourth term on the board.
Voters will choose two board members from that field.
The other incumbent, David McFarland, opted not to run for a third term.
Board members are not paid.
The district covers southeast Jefferson County.
VAUGH, 57, lives at 2162 Missouri Ave., Festus. She and her husband, Steve, have two children and two grandchildren. She is a retired registered nurse at Mercy Hospital Jefferson. She is a graduate of Farmington High School and received nursing degrees from Jefferson College and Central Methodist University. In addition to her tenure on the ambulance board, she has been a member of the Jefferson County Health Department’s Board of Directors since 2009.
WEEKS, 67, lives at 315 Elm St., Pevely. He and his wife, Debbie, have three children and one grandchild. Weeks received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He is a member of the Mississippi River Eagles and volunteers for Meals on Wheels and a Jefferson County toy distribution drive.
ENGELBACH, 75, lives at 3489 Linhorst Road, Hillsboro. He and his wife, Janet, have had three children and six grandchildren. He is a grain and livestock farmer and retired union sheet metal worker, shop steward and foreman.
A 1959 graduate of Herculaneum High School, he served eight years in the military. He is a former member of the Jefferson College Board of Trustees, the Jefferson County 911 Dispatch Board of Directors and the Hillsboro R-3 school board.
He is chairman of the Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District board, is a state and area soil and water director and is on the University of Missouri Extension Council.
He also chaired the county and regional Water Quality Coordinating committees and was on the Agriculture Stabilization Conservation Service county committee.
Other memberships include the Jefferson County Farm Bureau Board of Trustees, the American Legion, National Rifle Association and Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 36.
What are the biggest problems facing the district and how would you address them?
Vaugh: The biggest challenge is the rising cost of health care and equipment. Many of our residents are challenged by having to choose to pay for health insurance and medications against buying food and paying bills. Life-saving equipment and vehicles are not cheap. Educating our employees on the newest techniques, medications, certifications is important to be able to save lives and deliver high-quality care.
Weeks: Being able to maintain the services that our residents expect and deserve. As the district continues to grow and the costs continue to increase, the district is called upon to meet these challenges. The board must be able to provide to the administrator and its employees the ability to provide these services for the residents.
Engelbach: For the purpose of efficiency, the entities within the district’s service area should subscribe to the same 911 dispatch used by the rest of Jefferson County. Our responsibility is to taxpayers, seniors on fixed incomes and all those who must live within a budget. Funding, as a board we must remember who pays the district’s bills.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Vaugh: My goal is to be an overseer of how taxpayer money is spent. I want our personnel to be able to handle any emergent situation with knowledge and professionalism with the quickest response time. My job is to see that voters’ tax money is spent wisely. Remember, if JPAD can save just one more life due to your tax dollars, it is money well spent.
Weeks: I have over 38 years of law-enforcement service and I worked closely with the ambulance district, where I observed the continued improvements and updates of services that it provides. I would like to help the ambulance district administrator and its employees continue to grow and provide needed services.
Engelbach: The many years of volunteering and service have given me the knowledge to make sure we remain fiscally responsible. With a proven record of listening to all sides before making serious decisions, along with a common-sense approach, I will continue to be accountable to the taxpayers. I have and will continue to examine and analyze all spending practices.